Acts and Laws
During the long and arduous process of settlement and Confederation in Canada, the Cree, often regarded as an inferior people were subject to a whole array of acts and laws that restricted and deteriorated their way of life . The Numbered Treaties The numbered Treaties were a collection of laws and appeasements made by the Canadian government to reconcile the First Nations of their growing demands and discomforts, led on largely by the decline of the bison hunt and the increase of Canadian settlers in their land. Although these treaties were mostly unfair and were a blatant loss of freedom for the Cree, they had no choice but to accept them, because of starvation and their lack of self-sufficiency. In the first 5 Treaties, the Cree received: * Reserve lands (approx. 600m2 per family of 5. However, they managed to negotiate 2.5km2 for treaties 3 and 4 only) * Cash (the amount increased in each subsequent treaty, as the demands of the First Nations' grew) * Allowance for blankets/fishing/hunting tools * Schools/infrastructure on reserves (roads, public buildings etc.) * The right to hunt and fish on all ceded land not used for mining, lumbering, settlement, etc. (only in treaties 3 and forward) In exchange, the Cree promised to be: *Peaceful & keep the law and order *Never posses liquor on their reserves However, Treaty 6 was a bit different. In Treaty 6, the Cree were much reluctant to sign the treaty under the same conditions as its predecessors. The reasons for this were the reclining bison, the influx of white immigrants, and the smallpox disease which wiped out entire Cree populations. Poundmaker, the Cree chief at the time, refused to sign the treaty, as he felt that the Canadian government were trying to scam the Cree to steal their land. However, due to the looming threat of starvation brought on by the lack of bison, Poundmaker was forced to sign the treaty at what he thought to be the best offer possible. This included all the perks from the previous treaties, and also a "medicine chest" to be kept in the home of the local Indian Agent to treat the injuries and illnesses of the Cree. It is important to note that some First Nations people went on to perceive this as a promise of free healthcare for all aboriginal peoples in Canada - forever. The Indian Act of 1876 This act defined what an " Indian" meant, and it also outlined legal rights and disabilities for the First Nations people, which were not clearly established until this point. Some examples were that First Nations people could now be tried under Canadian law, and also that they had to carry an Indian Identification Card wherever they went. "Indians" were now liable to a fine if they were: * In possession of alcohol * Caught leaving the reserve * Caught without an Indian ID card In addition, the act set out instructions for: * Sale of aboriginal lands * Removal of resources from aboriginal lands Aboriginal Suffrage Before 1960, the First Nations of Canada were excluded from the democratic process, and were not granted the right to vote unless they renounced their treaty rights and their status under the Indian Act. However, with the Commonwealth Electoral Act of 1960, this all changed. This act finally granted universal suffrage to all aboriginal peoples of Canada, who were the last group of people to be granted suffrage in Canada. In comparison, the women of Canada were granted suffrage in 1916-1919 in various provinces, which showed just how late Canadian government granted Aboriginal suffrage, and how little they actually care about the Aboriginal population. Sources * "Numbered Treaty Overview." Canada in the Making. Web. 31 May 2012. . * "The Politics of Inclusion: Granting Aboriginals the Vote." Human Rights in Canada: A Historical Perspective. Web. 1 June 2012. . * "Numbered Treaties." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 June 2012. * "Indian Act." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 06 Jan. 2012. Web. 02 June 2012. . * Worksheets received by Ms. Bakker